Droopo; the mischievous kid is making it big |
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As an artist, who you are, the hood you’re from and what circles you move in has a massive influence on and representation in your music. In cities all around the world, people’s life experiences can be wildly different despite being merely streets apart. For Steve D'costa, a Melbourne rapper who was born in Chennai, India, and then migrated to Melbourne’s South East as a toddler, the areas he lived in and people he met along the way, has helped mould the artist we know now as Droopo.
As a young lad, Droopo was, as he would describe a “mischievous kid, always getting into trouble”. Growing up in Melbourne’s South East suburbs, an area known for not being the safest, Droopo says, “[you] can’t walk streets late at night unless you know people or from there”, he witnessed a lot of shit as a 4 year old that he will remember for the rest of his life. It was these streets in Dandenong and Hampton Park “that made [him] who [he is]”. But it is not all doom and gloom for Droopo, despite being kicked out of school and moving around a lot, he met a lot different people, people who have become his lifelong homies. Crew he skated with, blazed with, freestyled with, people into music as much as him and that eventually, at the young age of 13, wanted to build this rapping thing into something more than just that. |
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Writing poetry and rhymes from a young age, Droopo and his friends would hang together, listening to the likes of Flatbush Zombies, Mac Miller and Chance The Rapper, all of whom were independent artists at the time, and one day it dawned on them “why can’t we do this and put our own collective together for Melbourne, showing people what we can do”. Since then, nearly 10 years now, Droopo and his crew, “took that [idea] and started something”.
And Droopo, who took his name from the droopy eyes he gets when he is blazed, has been on his grind. He has scored Triple J and MTV endorsements, featured on the cover of Spotify's Local Hype playlist, sat in the esteemed company of the A1 Hip Hop list, and received several spins on Beats 1 Radio's The New Australia. A child of traditional Indian parents, Droopo is fortunate that his parents are very supportive. But it would be hard not to be when your son’s burgeoning rap career is receiving such results.
And Droopo, who took his name from the droopy eyes he gets when he is blazed, has been on his grind. He has scored Triple J and MTV endorsements, featured on the cover of Spotify's Local Hype playlist, sat in the esteemed company of the A1 Hip Hop list, and received several spins on Beats 1 Radio's The New Australia. A child of traditional Indian parents, Droopo is fortunate that his parents are very supportive. But it would be hard not to be when your son’s burgeoning rap career is receiving such results.
Droopo’s latest single Don Dada is again receiving a positive response, with momentum in Australia and US coverage. Working with JUJO, one of Australia's emerging music producers, the “song was written at time of questioning myself, where I wanted to be, who I really was. [I was] moving around a bit, moved out of home, moved back home [and it was] taking a toll on me as a person”.
Originally writing the track to a different beat, once management heard the rhymes, they knew he needed to link up with JUJO. Despite not collaborating previously, the rapper and producer vibed straight away. “I was rapping my verse and he was building a beat to it. He worked on the beat, while I was fixing bars, and it was just magic”.
With implicitly positive lyrics, Droopo’s message with Don Dada is simple, “Be the best version of yourself, always strive for greatness, never get comfortable, pretty much be a good person. It’s the only thing we [as people] can really do. Make the world a better place at the end of the day.” Some wise words from a 23 year old.
With the ferocity and grittiness of genres such as trap, grime and drill making huge waves in the mainstream, Droopo is sticking to the classic Hip Hop vibe. “It’s just me as a person. I’m looking at something that’s longevity, something that people of all ages can appreciate, from old heads to new people that are woke, maybe change the scene. No hate to them, I respect their craft, but maybe some music with a better message”.
With a broad taste in music, from 50s & 60s through his parents, through to country, rock & roll, RNB, jive and then rappers such as J.Cole, KID and Kendrick Lamar, Droopo’s first full release, which is currently in the works, will be a similar style to Don Dada, “old school with new school twist [and] speaking truth”.
As you can imagine with Melbourne in lockdown, making music has been slightly difficult for Droopo. “With things going on, it’s hard to get things laid down in the studio with producers. [I’m] waiting for stage 4. With stage 3, [I was] still going to studio and getting work done. [I] got a lot of material to do and put out”.
“I just roll with it”, Droopo says on the current lockdown situation in Melbourne. With merch, more music, and a short BTS film all happening and coming out soon, Droopo has a lot to keep him busy indoors anyway. “This year was wack but got huge shit for next year”.
And as for his hood, his home, Droopo is still living in those streets at the moment, “When I walk those streets, I get the vibe of that’s who I am, I can’t walk anywhere else and get that vibe, except when I’m home in India”.
Stay in the loop with Droopo and his music on Facebook | Instagram | Soundcloud | Spotify | YouTube
Originally writing the track to a different beat, once management heard the rhymes, they knew he needed to link up with JUJO. Despite not collaborating previously, the rapper and producer vibed straight away. “I was rapping my verse and he was building a beat to it. He worked on the beat, while I was fixing bars, and it was just magic”.
With implicitly positive lyrics, Droopo’s message with Don Dada is simple, “Be the best version of yourself, always strive for greatness, never get comfortable, pretty much be a good person. It’s the only thing we [as people] can really do. Make the world a better place at the end of the day.” Some wise words from a 23 year old.
With the ferocity and grittiness of genres such as trap, grime and drill making huge waves in the mainstream, Droopo is sticking to the classic Hip Hop vibe. “It’s just me as a person. I’m looking at something that’s longevity, something that people of all ages can appreciate, from old heads to new people that are woke, maybe change the scene. No hate to them, I respect their craft, but maybe some music with a better message”.
With a broad taste in music, from 50s & 60s through his parents, through to country, rock & roll, RNB, jive and then rappers such as J.Cole, KID and Kendrick Lamar, Droopo’s first full release, which is currently in the works, will be a similar style to Don Dada, “old school with new school twist [and] speaking truth”.
As you can imagine with Melbourne in lockdown, making music has been slightly difficult for Droopo. “With things going on, it’s hard to get things laid down in the studio with producers. [I’m] waiting for stage 4. With stage 3, [I was] still going to studio and getting work done. [I] got a lot of material to do and put out”.
“I just roll with it”, Droopo says on the current lockdown situation in Melbourne. With merch, more music, and a short BTS film all happening and coming out soon, Droopo has a lot to keep him busy indoors anyway. “This year was wack but got huge shit for next year”.
And as for his hood, his home, Droopo is still living in those streets at the moment, “When I walk those streets, I get the vibe of that’s who I am, I can’t walk anywhere else and get that vibe, except when I’m home in India”.
Stay in the loop with Droopo and his music on Facebook | Instagram | Soundcloud | Spotify | YouTube